Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization is a non-profit youth group dedicated to providing artistic performance opportunities for young people through the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, a Drum Corps International World Class competitor.

Archives for November 2016

ELLIOTT DURAN lives in Azusa, California. Currently, he is teaching at Sierra Vista High School from Baldwin Park, California.

Elliott’s marching career began on bass drum at Azusa High School in 2008. He would then go on to perform with Pacific Crest for two years in 2011 and 2012.

After a brief break from the marching percussion world, Elliott returned to the activity by marching his 2015 indoor season with Elan Percussion and with POW Percussion in 2016. His last season in 2017 will be with Pulse Percussion.

He is currently attending Mt. San Antonio College while preparing to transfer to Cal Poly Pomona to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management.

RICHARD DIAZ joined the Pacific Crest percussion staff in 2017. He currently teaches at Great Oak High School and Vail Ranch Middle School. He started teaching at Ramona High School (Riverside) in 2005 and has worked with several other percussion programs throughout Southern California such as Chaparral HS, Patriot HS, La Quinta HS (La Quinta), Vista HS, Carlsbad HS, and Pulse Percussion.

MATT PONCE has been an active performer in Southern California since 2007. Spanning nine years, his performance career includes ensembles such as Pacific Crest, The Blue Devils, Pulse Percussion, and the RCC Indoor Percussion ensemble. Currently he performs with ClipPercussion, The Procrastinators, and Mickey’s Soundsational Parade.

Since 2013, Matt has served as the caption head and battery arranger for Rancho Verde High School, where he also serves as the visual designer for the winter percussion program. In addition to Pacific Crest, recent teaching experiences include Dark Sky Percussion, Spirit of Atlanta, and internationally with Zhuhai #1 High School in Zhuhai, China.

Matt resides in Long Beach where he attends California State University, Long Beach, pursuing a degree in Music Education with an emphasis in percussion.

ALEX BARRERAS lives in Phoenix, Arizona. He began his musical journey in 4th grade when he used orchestra as a way to get out of class for an hour. Alex continued to play the violin through high school. His percussion journey began his sophomore year after being inspired to play drums after playing the video game “rock band”.

From then on, he found his passion for percussion and has performed every indoor season since (Breakthrough Indoor Percussion 2011 – 2014, POW Percussion 2015 – 16, Pulse 2017). Alex’s drum corps experience includes The Academy (2014) and Blue Stars (2015). Alex also performed with the Sun Devil Marching Band from 2014 – 2016.

Alex currently teaches at schools in Arizona, most notably, Casa Grande Union High School and Mesa High School. In summer 2016, he flew to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, to work with Patria Drum and Bugle Corps.

Alex is a graduate from Arizona State University, and currently holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice.

DEVANTE LAND is from Spartanburg, South Carolina where he’s completing his licensing for multiple types of insurance.

He performed with Spirit of Atlanta in 2012 and 2014, where he played baritone and euphonium. His previous teaching experience included Boiling Springs High School Marching Band, Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps, and Music City Drum and Bugle Corps.

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Pacific Crest is funded, in-part, by the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Thank You!

About Pacific Crest

Pacific Crest is one of North America’s most-respected performing arts organizations, serving more than 3,000 youth each year. We are Southern California’s only Drum Corps International (DCI) World Class Drum and Bugle Corps and represent SoCal at the DCI World Championships annually.